31-year-old sex case resurfaces in Knox County

GALESBURG — A Galesburg man has been indicted in a child sex case from 1986 while out on bond in a separate child sex case.

Larry E. Derry, 59, West Knox Street, was charged with two counts of Class X felony predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Both carry sentences, if convicted, of between six and 60 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Similar to a preliminary hearing, witnesses testify and evidence is presented to a grand jury and they make a ruling, or indictment, on the cases before them. According to court documents, three people, including the victim, and Knox County Sheriff's Department Detective Barry Daniel testified before the grand jury March 3.

The indictment says that between Oct. 1, 1986, and Oct. 31, 1986, Derry allegedly placed his fingers on the genitals of a 2 1/2-year-old girl, which caused sexual penetration, and on a second occasion he allegedly placed the girl's hand on his genitals for sexual gratification or arousal, court documents said.

Circuit Judge Scott Shipplett continued Derry's bond at $100,000, $10,000 needed to get out of jail, which was set in the indictment. He posted a $2,000 bond back in June on charges of aggravated criminal sexual abuse that related to allegations in 2015.

Derry will be back in court for a first appearance Friday, which could also include his arraignment.

Illinois law states that when a victim is under 18 years old at the time of the offense, prosecution can be pursued up to 20 years after the victim turns 18 years old, or when the victim is 38 years old.

State law says those offenses include "criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, aggravated criminal sexual abuse, felony criminal sexual abuse or prosecution for failure of a person who is required to report an alleged or suspected commission of any of these offense under the Abused and Neglected Child Reporting Act."

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has been vocal about seeking to end a statute of limitations on child sex cases. There is no statute of limitations in Illinois for murder, involuntary manslaughter, reckless homicide, arson, treason, forgery or the production of child pornography, according to a news release from Madigan's office.

"Children may not reach an understanding that what has happened to them is a crime until decades later, or they may be under the control of the perpetrator or be physically, emotionally or financially dependent upon the abuser," Madigan said in a news release.

That push came following a federal case involving former U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert.